I have a 19 mile round trip to work, with about 300 meters of climbing in total (all rural). Whenever I cycle to work, I get the usual fatigue but when I get up the next morning, I always wake up tired and I still have residual fatigue in my legs, as though I haven't recovered properly. I can usually cycle three days in a row but by the fourth day I am often so tired that I have to take the car. After this "rest day" I am fresh, and the whole thing starts all over again. A similar thing happens with the Sunday morning club ride in that if I go out with my normal group I often experience severe fatigue an hour or two after the ride and I will feel too tired on Monday morning to cycle to work. This fatigue seems to be independant of when or how much I eat, and taking energy drinks seems to have little effect. I feel that at the age of 32 and having cycled regularly for the last three years I ought to be able to cope with 100-150 miles of cycling per week (I'm sure there are people on here that do far more). Does anyone have any suggestions as to how to go about improving my recovery ability?
how to improve overnight recovery?
- Thread starter al78
- Start date
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ttcycle
Cycling Excusiast
listen to your body.
If you need the rest, it's needed - unless you're looking to push your overall ability to do some high end training which it doesn't sound like.
Is it possible to do the cycle at a reduced intensity (slower etc) until you're a bit stronger? Don't punish yourself for needing to have a rest- we're all different with the workloads we can cope with. What rate are you increasing your cycling distances? It sounds like the clubrun may be pushing you too far past what's useful for you. Is it possible to get out on some less strenuos long rides? It may just be a general base fitness issue and that takes a while to build and also varies with each person.
Another thing is are you eating regularly and often? What are you eating? Are you sleeping enough and do you have some easy weeks with more rest? Is there a source of stress in your life?
There may be some underlying health issue- have you had things checked out at the docs? This includes blood tests. Could be something simple.
Good luck and remember even pro athletes can't be at the peak of their fitness all year round- they train to peak and be at their best for certain races etc. So don't worry if you're having an off moment- sometimes a bit of time to rest is just what's needed.
If you need the rest, it's needed - unless you're looking to push your overall ability to do some high end training which it doesn't sound like.
Is it possible to do the cycle at a reduced intensity (slower etc) until you're a bit stronger? Don't punish yourself for needing to have a rest- we're all different with the workloads we can cope with. What rate are you increasing your cycling distances? It sounds like the clubrun may be pushing you too far past what's useful for you. Is it possible to get out on some less strenuos long rides? It may just be a general base fitness issue and that takes a while to build and also varies with each person.
Another thing is are you eating regularly and often? What are you eating? Are you sleeping enough and do you have some easy weeks with more rest? Is there a source of stress in your life?
There may be some underlying health issue- have you had things checked out at the docs? This includes blood tests. Could be something simple.
Good luck and remember even pro athletes can't be at the peak of their fitness all year round- they train to peak and be at their best for certain races etc. So don't worry if you're having an off moment- sometimes a bit of time to rest is just what's needed.
chap
Veteran
- Location
- London, GB
Eat yer eggs!
To be honest I understand where you are coming from, if I cycle t workk daily then by the end of the week I am less efficient. I normally find that walking instead helps, obviously if you're going down the rural route then the option of multi-modal transportation may not be a reality.
I would recommend you cycle 2 days, break a day, so the next, before calling it quits until the weekend ride. From weight-lifting, you are supposed to do 1 or 2 sessions on the same muscles before having a break to let them recover. After a while, your muscles will probably adapt and the cycle can then be a 5 day a week thing.
Although, I am far from expert on these matters.
To be honest I understand where you are coming from, if I cycle t workk daily then by the end of the week I am less efficient. I normally find that walking instead helps, obviously if you're going down the rural route then the option of multi-modal transportation may not be a reality.
I would recommend you cycle 2 days, break a day, so the next, before calling it quits until the weekend ride. From weight-lifting, you are supposed to do 1 or 2 sessions on the same muscles before having a break to let them recover. After a while, your muscles will probably adapt and the cycle can then be a 5 day a week thing.
Although, I am far from expert on these matters.
marzjennings
Guru
- Location
- Houston, Texas, USA
Make sure you are eating enough and the right kinds of food. An average size guy plus about 40 miles cycling a day may need more than 4000 calories a day.
Plus add enough protein to your diet. I always make sure to take on some protein after my rides 20 miles on more. Sometimes just a large glass of milk, sometimes 30 grams of protein in a powerbar.
Do you ride pretty hard over the 19 miles? If so you should cool down over the last mile, spin it out and work out any lactate acid and fully stretch after each leg of your commute.
There's some interesting info here...http://www.howtobefit.com/reduce-exercise-muscle-soreness.htm
Plus add enough protein to your diet. I always make sure to take on some protein after my rides 20 miles on more. Sometimes just a large glass of milk, sometimes 30 grams of protein in a powerbar.
Do you ride pretty hard over the 19 miles? If so you should cool down over the last mile, spin it out and work out any lactate acid and fully stretch after each leg of your commute.
There's some interesting info here...http://www.howtobefit.com/reduce-exercise-muscle-soreness.htm
Bill Gates
Guest
- Location
- West Sussex
Agree with all the above and if it was me I'd get my blood checked out. You shouldn't get fatigued like that after riding for many months.
ttcycle said:
Difficult to reduce the intensity on the way in to work, firstly because the first two miles is on the main Horsham to Guildford road, a fairly narrow NSL road which has a fair bit of traffic and one nuisance little climb; I feel compelled to get a move on on this stretch of road so as to avoid causing a queue behind. That and the first hill take a fair bit out onf me. The next six miles undulate and I can recover, but the last mile and a half is almost continuously uphill, climbing about 90 meters in that distance. Coming home I can take it easy though.
As far as rest goes, I had three weeks of very little cycling over Christmas and New Year, and have had to reduce it since then because of snow and ice, so I ought to be fully rested by now. Unfortunately what seems to have happened is that I have lost some fitness and now need to get back up to cycling to work four days a week which is where I was before.
Yes I could do a less strenuous club ride. May have to restrict myself to that ultimately. Club rides are usually 35-50 miles of varying difficulty.
Eating - have porridge in the morning, flapjack mid morning, lunch, tea and cake mid afternoon, banana before leaving work, evening meal when I get home (meat & two veg style), another flapjack/cheese & biscuits & an apple before bed.
Sleeping - no I don't sleep very well as a rule. Usually takes an hour or so to get off and usually wake up groggy in the morning, no matter what time that is. Tend to feel tired early/mid afternoon as well.
Stress - show me someone in the UK who isn't stressed
. Yes there are things on my mind that worry me but generally I don't feel I have a stressful lifestyle.I have been to the doctor, I have had blood tests which have all come back negative, she suggested it is just the way I am and that some people can recover from exercise better than others.
Someone mentioned stretching, that is something I don't do. Does that help with muscle recovery?
My ultimate aim would be to be able to cycle to work daily and do all the other things I normally do without feeling like I have had the life blood sucked out of me. This would mean I coould finally claim independance from the car
.Brahan
Über Member
- Location
- West Sussex
al78 said:This would mean I could finally claim independance from the car
Hi al78
Interesting one this. i think it might be one of those 'common sense' type things (no offence BTW) so changing habits may help.
Eat more carbs, if your intensity is high then your legs are burning glycogen, and those carbs need replaced
Porridge is good, dont change that
eat less protein, fills you up but increases the acidity in your body, and takes longer and more energy to digest.
Try spinning a lower gear, rather than pushing a big one - as such you burn fat and spare glycogen and carbs.
Rest is important also - take time off the bike (i know, i hate this part too)
Remember to warm up, stretch and warm down.
If its cold wrap up well, if your cold. You have to work harder.
Hope some of these points help.
Interesting one this. i think it might be one of those 'common sense' type things (no offence BTW) so changing habits may help.
Eat more carbs, if your intensity is high then your legs are burning glycogen, and those carbs need replaced
Porridge is good, dont change that
eat less protein, fills you up but increases the acidity in your body, and takes longer and more energy to digest.
Try spinning a lower gear, rather than pushing a big one - as such you burn fat and spare glycogen and carbs.
Rest is important also - take time off the bike (i know, i hate this part too)
Remember to warm up, stretch and warm down.
If its cold wrap up well, if your cold. You have to work harder.
Hope some of these points help.
A big caveat for this one, as I'm no scientist or athlete and have been cycling for less time that you.
I read somewhere that chocolate milk shakes were a good recovery drink and since it gave me the chance to enjoy two of my favourite tastes, I regularly had one when I got home.
I've been a bit erratic of late with my commutes and got out of the milk shake habit last week. I seemed to be much more tired during the eveing and next morning. This week I'm back on the shakes and feeling a lot more lively.
As I said before, probably no scientific basis for the correlation, but taking a milk shake after your ride should do too much harm
I read somewhere that chocolate milk shakes were a good recovery drink and since it gave me the chance to enjoy two of my favourite tastes, I regularly had one when I got home.
I've been a bit erratic of late with my commutes and got out of the milk shake habit last week. I seemed to be much more tired during the eveing and next morning. This week I'm back on the shakes and feeling a lot more lively.
As I said before, probably no scientific basis for the correlation, but taking a milk shake after your ride should do too much harm
Hey Coco
I usually take milk after a ride to rehydrate. I read somewhere thats its the best stuff; and that sort of 'fits' if you get me if you consider it has water, fats, minerals, vitamins, sugars and a little protein.
The only thing i would say about milkshakes (sorry, i dont want to sound like some kinda smart-arsed kill-joy, but i guess i will) is the sugar content may be a little high. im sure some nutritionist somewhere might tick you off...
I usually take milk after a ride to rehydrate. I read somewhere thats its the best stuff; and that sort of 'fits' if you get me if you consider it has water, fats, minerals, vitamins, sugars and a little protein.
The only thing i would say about milkshakes (sorry, i dont want to sound like some kinda smart-arsed kill-joy, but i guess i will) is the sugar content may be a little high. im sure some nutritionist somewhere might tick you off...
Thanks for all the suggestions.
What I think I will do is start making my own protein shakes and taking one when I get home from work. This will provide me with some extra calories, protein and carbs straight after my ride home. I'll also try and fit some stretching in and see if that helps.
What I think I will do is start making my own protein shakes and taking one when I get home from work. This will provide me with some extra calories, protein and carbs straight after my ride home. I'll also try and fit some stretching in and see if that helps.
